A man from Pikeville, Kentucky, faces up to two years in prison for violating the Clean Water Act, according to a release from acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
Christopher Hall, 43, pleaded guilty Monday to that federal violation.
Investigators say Hall managed the waste treatment plant in Matewan, West Virginia, when the violation happened. They say Hall falsified reports that sewage sludge was removed from the facility, which is a Clean Water Act requirement.
According to investigators, Hall falsely reported in August 2018 that five tons of sludge had been removed from the facility. Further investigation revealed that more reports between July 2017 and June 2018 showed 55 tons of sludge had been removed. Those accounts were false.
Investigators say the sludge ended up in the Tug Fork River instead.
They also say Hall admitted that he knew all 10 reports were false and that no sludge was disposed of at a landfill when he submitted those reports.
In addition to a possible two-year prison sentence, Hall faces $250,000 in fines when he’s sentenced July 22.
